Four of Texas' major LGBT chambers of commerce are uniting to form a coalition that plans to advocate on behalf of LGBT owned and allied businesses in the state.

The North Texas, Austin, Greater Houston and San Antonio LGBT chambers of commerce will serve as founding members of the new Texas LGBT Chambers of Commerce. They plan to hold an inaugural Day of Advocacy at the Texas Capitol on Feb. 20.

The move was sparked in part by Republicans' failed attempts to pass a bathroom bill during the 2017 legislative session that would have regulated which bathrooms transgender Texans can use.

"The Texas LGBT Chambers of Commerce intends to prevent any and all anti-LGBT, economy-damaging measures from becoming law in Texas at the state and local levels," said Chase Kincannon, chair of the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce.

The new coalition said it represents more than 1,000 LGBT-owned businesses and relies on strength in numbers to oppose legislation they consider damaging to the state's economy and the LGBT community. The chambers surveyed member businesses to set a legislative agenda before the session began earlier this month.

"Our goal is, first of all, to be very visible as a group – folks interested not just in social issues, but in the business implications of those issues. And really to serve as a resource to legislators, and look for those items that we as citizens can reach across the aisles and find common ground," said Tony Vedda, president of the North Texas GLBT Chamber of Commerce.

A Texas Association of Business study conducted in 2016 found that the bathroom bill legislation could have cost the state as much as $8.5 billion in lost business. The findings drew on case studies in other states with similar laws.

Vedda said the coalition will be looking at everything from transportation to health care and will be "watchful" of another measure like the bathroom bill.

"I'd like to begin the session from a position that we're trusting and believing what people are telling us," he said. "We have to look at issues that may be disguised as one thing that may in fact be something else."

The bathroom bill died during the 85th session, but business leaders have continued to warnlawmakers about what they see as harmful economic effects of such legislation. Supporters of the measures suggest those economic consequences are overstated.

When Apple recently chose Austin for a $1 billion campus that could bring 15,000 jobs to Texas, both diversity and inclusivity were factors cited in their decision. Gov. Greg Abbott lauded the campus as a "Texas-sized investment."